Text to Donate: Meet Donors Where They're At — Without Irritating Them

You have a good donor list. You've built those relationships over years. The last thing you want is to burn that trust by texting people out of the blue. As one development director told us: "we're not in the market to irritate them."

Good news: text to donate done right isn't a blast. It's permission-based giving that meets people where they already are — on their phones.

What is text to donate?

Text to donate lets a supporter give by sending a keyword (like GIVE) to a short number (a 5-digit shortcode). They get a link back, complete their gift on a mobile-friendly page, and they're done — usually in less time than it takes to find a checkbook.

Text to donate vs. text to give: what's the difference?

People use the two terms almost interchangeably. If there's a difference, it's this: "text to give" often describes the whole giving-by-text experience, while "text to donate" usually points at the campaign moment — the keyword, the shortcode, the ask. Both run on the same engine. If you want the full picture of giving by text, see our guide at rallycorp.com/text-to-give and cross-reference this page for campaign specifics.

Why permission is the whole game

Donors are already "tuning out" crowded email inboxes. Texting works because it's personal — and that's exactly why it has to be permission-based. Nobody wants a donation ask "when they aren't expecting it."

• Get explicit opt-in before you send.
• Honor STOP and HELP instantly.
• Send like a person, not a platform. Fewer, better messages.

How to launch a text-to-donate campaign

1. Pick your plan and activate your account. Start at rallycorp.com/start
2. Connect your existing CRM and fundraising pages. Rally works alongside the tools you already use.
3. Communicate with donors with ease and confidence. Announce your keyword everywhere the moment lives — the stage, the screen, the pew, the field.

What does text to donate cost?

Plans scale with your organization — current details are on our pricing page.

FAQ

Do donors need an app?
No. Any phone that can text can give.

Is text to donate secure?
Gifts complete on a secure payment page.

Can gifts be recurring?
Yes — donors can set up recurring giving from the same flow.

Will this annoy our donors?
Not if it's permission-based. People who opted in asked to hear from you. That's the opposite of spam.

How fast can we launch?
Most organizations can be live quickly — start at rallycorp.com/start

This is not legal advice — consult counsel for your specific situation.